Dearborn And Ohio Counties Relay For Life Grows Each Year

Posted On June 12, 2014

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By Mike Perleberg

The 2014 Relay for Life of Dearborn and Ohio Counties steps off 9:00 a.m. Saturday, June 14 at South Dearborn High School in Aurora.file photo

(Aurora, Ind.) – Relay for Life began in May of 1985 when Dr. Gordy Platt walked around a track in Tacoma, Washington for 24 straight hours. He raised $27,000 to help the American Cancer Society that day.

To say the relay idea caught on is putting it mildly. Since Platt’s initial endeavor, Relay for Life events have raised $5 billion worldwide to aid in the fight against cancer.

Doing its share for the past 17 years has been the Relay for Life of Dearborn and Ohio Counties. Chairwoman Andrea Ewan says that the event is now one of the top-five relays in Indiana with 700 to 800 participants

“Cancer never sleeps. So for 24 hours one day a year we don’t either,” Ewan says.

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Those 24 hours will begin at 9:00 a.m. Saturday, June 14 at South Dearborn High School’s track in Aurora. At least one member of each of the 42 participating teams is expected to walk on the track through 9:00 a.m. Sunday.

Luminaries line the track at the 2013 Relay for Life of Dearborn and Ohio Counties.file photo

But walking will be just one aspect of the relay. The first cancer survivor lap begins at 9:00 a.m. Saturday. A survivor dinner at South Dearborn High School starts at 5:30 p.m. to which survivors are welcome to bring along one guest. The popular luminary ceremony to honor those who lost their battle with cancer follows the second survivor lap at 9:00 p.m.

RE/MAX Advantage 1 of Aurora is bringing the iconic RE/MAX hot air balloon to the event. Tethered balloon rides will be available from 7:00-9:00 p.m. Saturday, weather permitting.

Other activities throughout the weekend include kids games and playhouses, fundraiser sales and silent auctions, live music and performers, a police K9 demonstration and more.

“There are things going on all day with 24 hours of activities, not to mention all the individual campsites that will be having their own activities,” says Ewan.

The St. Elizabeth Healthcare mobile mammography unit will be present from 9:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. There are still openings for the no-cost mammograms. Interested women can call (859) 655-7400 to make an appointment.

The fundraising goal for this year’s local relay is $150,000 to support the American Cancer Society, says fellow organizer Jan Tyler. As of Thursday, more than $72,000 had already been raised by teams and individuals that have gotten a head start on their fundraising.

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